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Florrie Musgrove – Happy Birthday

Florrie Musgrove is my maternal grandmother – or “nannie” as she was always known – and today is her birthday. She was born on 6 January 1897 at Horton in Ribblesdale, Yorkshire.

Florrie was the third child of Joseph Musgrove and Elizabeth Ann Musgrove (nee Turner). She had nine siblings

John Robert Turner Musgrove (born c1892)

Thomas Musgrove (born c1894)

Mary Elizabeth Musgrove (born 1898)

James Musgrove (born 1901)

Joseph Musgrove (1903-1904)

Leah Musgrove (born c1905)

Isabel Musgrove (born c1906)

Alice Musgrove (born 1910)

Joseph Musgrove (born 1912)

When Florrie was born the family lived at Foredale Cottages just outside Horton in Ribblesdale. These cottages were built for the workers of the local limestone quarry which is where Florrie’s dad worked. Here’s a link to more information about the cottages.

Foredale Cottages

Foredale Cottages and Quarry

I mentioned the problems I had finding Florrie’s birth certificate when I talked about St. Catherine’s House, this is because it was registered under Florrie Mosgrove.

By the time of the 1901 census the family had moved to Clitheroe in Lancashire and were living at 50 Taylor Street. Joseph is described as a limestone quarryman and had presumably moved to Clitheroe to find work in the local quarries.

In the 1911 census the family were living at 119 Lowergate, Clitheroe. By now Florrie is 14 years old and she is working as a “ring spinner” in a cotton mill.

1911 Census

Some time during the next six years Florrie met and fell in love with Fred Musgrove, a local chap from Clitheroe. They were married on 16 September 1917 at the United Methodist Church, Moor Lane Clitheroe.

Their marriage certificate also threw up another anomaly. The father’s names have been written on the wrong lines – so Florries father is shown as Thomas instead of Joseph. Yet another example and reminder of the importance of always checking and checking again the information from official records.

Witnesses at the wedding were Florrie’s brother John Robert Musgrove and Fred’s sister Ellen Halstead.

Over the next 18 years Florrie and Fred had eight children

Kathleen Musgrove (born 1918)

Thomas Musgrove (born 1920)

Joseph Harry Musgrove (born 1922)

Hazel Musgrove (born 1925)

Elizabeth Musgrove (born 1927)

Stowell Musgrove (born 1929)

Alice Musgrove (born 1930) – my mother

Mary Musgrove (born 1935)

My mum describes Florrie and Fred as very loving parents. Both were hard working and fiercely loyal to their children. Unfortunately Florrie suffered from bronchial asthma for many years so I am quite sure life must have been really hard.

Florrie died on 18 May 1971 at the age of 74 and is buried at Clitheroe Cemetery.